Cuba, once legendary for its sugar cane, produced only about half the sugar it had hoped to this season, and authorities acknowledged that while they will cover internal demand they will not be able to meet their international commitments.
“It’s not a secret, the sector is in crisis,” Dionis Pérez, director of communication at Azcuba, the government agency that regulates sugar production on the island, told reporters Wednesday. “This year we have fulfilled 53% of the harvest.”
The figure is half the 800,000 tons harvested in 2020-2021 and is the lowest figure in at least 100 years. In the 1980s, Cuba produced up to 8 million tons of sugar a year.
Pérez said the reasons for this season’s low production include a shortage of herbicides and fertilizers, a delay in starting up sugar mills, and even a lack of oxygen — which was hoarded by the health sector to combat COVID-19 — needed to repair breakages. He also blamed a lack of fuel and spare tires due to U.S. sanctions.
Pérez said higher production is not expected next year since the same problems will exist and authorities plan to reduce the number of sugar mills used to 26. Authorities will hold a sugar and cane derivatives conference in the coming week.
Pérez said this season’s production will cover internal demand of about 500,000 tons but not the 400,000 tons per year contracted with China.
